CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS VIEWS OF SCIENCE

This study identified classroom environmental variables related to student views of science. As a replication study, it adds to a growing empirical base indicating that student views of certain academic subjects are determined, in part, by the classroom environment. The cluster analysis technique resulted in the formation of three types of classroom environments, very dissimilar on most of the environmental factors of the Classroom Environment Scale. The finding indicates that there is a wide variety of science classroom environments, teaching philosophies, and teaching expertise at these grades. In classrooms with high levels of student involvement, teacher support, group affiliation, order and organization, and teacher innovation, student attitudes toward science were highest. These findings are discussed in relation to other research in this area.